Lightning and Feathers
by PunkRoseBlitz
Summary: In the future, Tantopia is ruled by the treacherous Dr. Tan. Luce tried to stop him, but when Oblio came into the picture mind controlled, she lost hope and has fallen. She is to obey Tan, but is secretly planning to save Oblio, with the help from his "cousin" Crow. Can they restore peace and undo Tan's rule of dance? (Collaborated with Agent Glitch)
1. Prologue: It's Only the Beginning

**Why, hello, beautiful people! XD This here, is a collaboration made by me and the ever so awesome Agent Glitch! :D Not only is it my first collab, but it's sorta my first AU fanfiction as well. ^_^ How this will work is that we will write a chapter at a time, and it will be posted on my account. Enough of me talking, let's get to the prologue, shall we?  
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**********~Prologue: It's Only the Beginning~**

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Luce Valentine looked into the eyes of the mad man himself, Dr. Tan. Her heart is throbbing due to exhaustion, her skin is covered by a thin layer of sweat, and her vision blurred, despite wearing her glasses. Luce felt like she could pass out at any moment.

She was sent in by DCI, since she is their only hope to save dance and Dance Central. D-Coy was sadly captured by Tan's minions, and that's what's DCI is focusing on: helping them out of the mind control and save the other crews from the dinosaurs. Luce worries about them to death, but she can't help but worry about her teammate Oblio, who has disappeared in about a week. She studied tirelessly for the dance crazes, and even saved DCI from the mind control. Now that she stands face to face with Dr. Tan inside his building, Tan Industries, she waits desperately to see why the old man is still standing as if he hadn't moved at all.

How can he not be tired from dancing to "OMG"? Rasa, the leader of DCI, created that choreography in order to defeat Tan, but he's still standing! Tan's condescending smile grew wider and wicked.

Doing her best to stand up straight, Luce placed a hand to her thumping heart and breathed out,

"How the hell are you not tired?" She said it in a cold mutter, and it only made Tan laugh. He crossed his arms and snapped his fingers.

"That's because I got a backup plan. Perhaps you recognize this young man?" Luce glared at the middle-aged man, and when she heard footsteps, she looked at the direction of the sound.

Her brown eyes locked into the person that just walked into the office. The hand that was on her heart slid down to her side and felt her body become numb. Luce wishes that this was a nightmare and not a reality.

"N-No..." Luce stuttered. She couldn't believe that she was seeing this. The one person she was looking for was here in the flesh, but something different has happened. "Oblio... It's you..." Luce whispered shakily.

"Yes, Luce, it's Oblio, better known as my son." Luce felt a pang shot through her chest. Oblio never told her that Tan had anything connected to him. Was it for the sake of Luce so that she won't be worried? "You've been searching for him so desperately, but here he is, in under _my_ control."

"Bastard!" Luce scolded, her fists gripping in anger.

"If you want to save him, you have to dance against him." Luce looked at Oblio, who remains emotionless due to his helmet. She walked up to him, and took his hand. It shocked her that he has the warmth that she knows he had.

Her feelings for him never faded ever since they've been in a crew together. She was so shy and worried about being rejected, but the one day when he left brought her the courage to tell him how she felt. All she could remember was a smile, and an embrace from him she would never forget. He rode off in the sunset that day, and Luce hoped that he would be safe.

Her memories quickly went away when Oblio pulled his hand away from Luce's. The music started to play, motioning the two to start the battle. The song was "Watercolour" by Pendulum.

Luce recognized the song, and she memorized and perfected the dance, but that doesn't mean Oblio doesn't know it too...

The way the controlled bluenette danced was superior compared to Luce's. No matter what she did, Oblio did it better. Luce fell into Tan's trap, and because of Oblio, she forgot that she was exhausted and near to the point of passing out.

The song was over regardless, and Oblio stood there gracefully, as if he didn't even break a sweat. The brunette panted desperately, and got one last glance at Tan, then at Oblio. She knows that she will regret this in the future. She danced for the sake of Oblio, but it wasn't enough.

Luce's vision grew weaker until she fell to the ground and fainted. Tan and Oblio surrounded her, staring at the unconscious brunette. "My son," Tan said. "We shouldn't just leave her here. I have a plan: instead of making her a prisoner, she shall serve us."

"Affirmative, Dr. Tan, sir," Oblio replied monotonously due to the mind control helmet he wears. He picked up Luce in his arms. "Where should I place her?"

"At the manor, in your room if that's what you prefer." The mind controlled bluenette nodded and said before leaving the office,

"Yes, Dr. Tan." The doctor now stands alone in his office, feeling humble. His goal of Project Lockstep is nearly complete. The power of dance rests in his hands, where no creativity, but structure, will take its place.

"The way I envisioned the future has become bright and clear now, or should I say, _dark_ and _hopeless_. DCI will now know what hit them, and those who bow before them will bow to _me_!" Tan said with triumph in his voice.

In due time, the city he resides in will remain the same, but they will follow his order, and for those who rebel against him will suffer the same fate as his son. The city will be his kingdom, as he will be king, and Oblio will be a prince. Whenever Luce regains consciousness, she will see a new world. Is there a way to save dance from the powerful man himself? Or better yet, save the place that is now called Tantopia?

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**********I know this was short, but hey, it's an epilogue for you! :) We don't know how long this story will be, but we hope that it will have a good length. I want to know if you like the collaboration. Be sure to leave out a review, favorite, and/or follow!  
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	2. Behind Shadows

**author's note**

**Since this is a collab, there will be many alternatives on my OC. Crow will already have a moderate knowledge of the human universe. Also, I would recommend for you to read Feather Of The Crow's latest chapters. I've put in a couple changes; one is that a crow' wings are insubstantial at the stems and are spiritually connected to the bearer, but will still be a crow-wing's vulnerable spot if the connection is severed, spiritually or physically.**

**Also, this is my first collab, and PunkRoseBlitz is an amazing author and I'm sure I've got a lot to learn from her, so I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you enjoyed her prologue ^_^**

**Agent Glitch**

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**************~Chapter One: Behind Shadows~**

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Crow held his breath as he hid behind one of the tall pillars close to the giant bird statue that was based on the crows in this universe. Luce, the friend of Oblio, had directed him here so that she could face Oblio's kidnapper, named Dr. Tan, one-on-one. Crow never understood how the art of dancing could help, but that was probably the reason why humans, too, couldn't grip the meaning of darkness as a factor of good.

As Luce walked forward, Crow felt his heart beating. It thudded against his ribcage, painfully straining him and his breathing. He took the risk of sneaking closer to the huge throne with the crow statue's massive wings arching over it. The man, the enemy, was confronting the young woman.

Instinct roused Crow, and a tendril of shadow rippled cross the floor, followed by vague arms about to solidify and reach for the man, intending to pull him down. Realizing that he would have to explain his true identity to Luce afterwards, Crow immediately loosened his grip on the shadows, and they disappeared like ash blown in the wind.

This was hard, very hard for Crow. His cover as Oblio's cousin was his identity now. If he lost it, what would happen to Luce? Surely, she would doubt him. Maybe she'd even call him a traitor, and Crow didn't want that. He sighed, keeping himself under control, and almost gasped as he saw Oblio himself.

He was here all along. He looked the same as ever to Crow, except for the helmet upon his head. Luce had explained to Crow about the helmets affecting people's minds. Would it be the same if a crow-wing tried it? Discarding the thought, Crow focused on finding a way to get closer to Oblio.

Luce, however, was running out of energy. Crow watched in growing apprehension as she collapsed to the ground. Oblio picked her up while speaking. His voice was emotionless, and somewhat strange. Crow knew that now he was defenseless.

Following Oblio, Crow kept himself hidden as the man who was the enemy spoke in euphoria. Crow went on unnoticed, and so he tailed Oblio, trying not to make a sound. Luce was unconscious in Oblio's arms. Advancing, Crow saw the large manor that Oblio entered. However, Oblio kept the large door locked before the crow-wing could enter.

_Now what?_ Crow hid behind the large manor and realized that he would have to rely on him as a crow-wing and not as Oblio's so-called human cousin. He hoped that Luce wouldn't see him, and he took flight to the roof of the manor. Noticing the dump of feathers, he prayed that Luce wouldn't see them.

Upon the roof, Crow found no way in. He waited while mounted on the mansion. He imagined snarling gargoyles and prowling lion statues being built, like the miniature ones where Oblio used to live. Once again forgetting the thought, Crow toyed with one of his wings.

The sound of a door creaking roused Crow. Oblio, still with the odd headpiece, was exiting. An idea made Crow feel hopeful. He took a single feather from his wing, and he let go of it right above Oblio's head. And with a shake of the mighty wings, Crow descended a distance away, hoping that he would be able to distract Oblio before the door was locked. He led Oblio to the pile of feathers, using an odd method which was a combination of noise-making and even throwing some stones.

Seeing his chance, Crow darted behind the open door. He waited tensely as Oblio returned to lock the door. And that was when Crow released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He examined the manor. It was large in size and was well-designed in structure. Luce must be here somewhere.

Retracting his wings, Crow navigated throughout the house. It soon became difficult for Crow to quench his thirst for exploration, and he thought to himself, _I'll just check around for a while, just for a_ little _while..._ Then he shook his head. Luce would be counting on him, and even though they were only acquaintances, if she trusted him, then Crow would have to trust her. Keeping that in his kind, Crow shook off his interest as he walked pass a crow-bird miniature that had a tiny throne between its wings, just like the one where Luce collapsed.

Surely it would be okay to look at it for a little while, wouldn't it? Crow admired the precise details of the item in display, placed above a broad table. The feathers were accurately placed and the throne still had the intricate design on the real one, with talon-like claws and scarlet cushions. The beak of the crow was majestic and finely shaped.

All of a sudden, Crow heard the sound of a key unlocking the door. He heard the unnaturally flat words from Oblio, and noticed that the enemy Dr. Tan was entering the manor also. In his panic, Crow unleashed a shadow, but instead of attacking, he used it to hide himself underneath the table, hoping that the wide space would allow him a bit of shelter.

The shadow would allow him to see, but would hide him at the same time. Unfortunately, the shadow also made the space underneath the table appear darker than it should have been. If Dr. Tan noticed this, Crow would have to make a run for it.

Crow could see the two men, one far older than the other. Dr. Tan, however, was too enlightened by his earlier victory that he hardly had any time to stare under tables. As Crow tried to calm himself, the shade surrounding him grew weaker as the tension was reduced. Oblio followed Dr. Tan like one hell of a butler. Then, and only then, did Crow feel safe enough to let the shadowy cover dissolve.

Now Crow would be on full guard if he was not to get caught. It was going to be a tough thing to do if he was supposed to locate Luce at the same time... and something told him that Dr. Tan and Oblio would definitely want to see her by now.

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**author's note**

**That's pretty much it for now :3 also, Black Butler reference because why not? 'Like one hell of a butler, yeah I need to read less anime...**

**Aside from that, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**— Agent Glitch**


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